


Ripples

by Fishyz9



Category: Days of Our Lives
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-28
Updated: 2014-09-28
Packaged: 2018-02-19 04:08:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2373971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fishyz9/pseuds/Fishyz9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things come to a head with Will and Abi. Sonny is caught in the middle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ripples

Ripples

To say that things are still a little frosty between my mother and I would be accurate, but at least she isn’t cold towards me. She’ll still speak to me and I know that she still loves me; though the more I think about it the more difficult I find it to understand why.  
  
I feel like I’ve said it out loud and in my head a thousand times; I did it to stop her. Yes, she infuriated me, but it was the potential for what she would do next that made the decision for me. Perhaps I’m trying to justify myself, my actions, but at the heart of it my intentions were to stop her from lashing out at Abi and to make her see herself how others see her. However, the pay packet - _thirty pieces of silver, Judas_ \- and this possible promotion somewhat damage my claims of innocence.  
  
Could I have been less abrasive about it? Yes, yes I see that now. There’s nothing quite like the look of disappointment in your husband’s eyes to bring you back down to earth, but do I regret the article? Yes. Yes and…no.  
  
Perhaps that answer should be a straight up yes. I hurt my mother. My _mother_. There’s supposed to be a special bond between mother and child. Sons are supposed to go to the wall, beat their chests and lash out to protect their mothers. Me? Naturally I do the opposite. I guess…I guess I’m not really the man I thought I was, the man Sonny thinks I am. There’s a part of me that will always be that damaged little boy who shuffled from one home to the next, utterly lost, unsure of himself and unable to understand the concept of belonging. Perhaps that boy will never mature into a man who can just _let that shit go_ , and I truly wish it was otherwise.  
  
I regret the pain I’ve caused them both, my mother and Abi. My mother’s shocked silence, the hurt in her eyes, and Abi’s furious condemnations are a testament to the damage I’ve caused. But I’m too afraid to say this one thing out loud…  
  
 _What I did doesn’t measure up to what the two of you have done to others, it doesn’t even come close._  
  
There seems to be this weird juxtaposition occurring, in that, as my mother quiets down, retreats more into herself, Abi seems to become just a little more belligerent. And honestly I think it’s our fault – mine, Sonny’s, Adrienne’s, my dad, and everyone else who rushed to Abi’s aid and didn’t so much as stop to ask why she would do such a foolish thing. She was coddled immediately and as a result…I mean, she slapped my mother? She helped destroy all trust between my mother and EJ, possibly ending a marriage before it even began, and yet any shame – her sense of guilt? It’s all but gone. My mother will speak to me, but Abi? Nothing. There’s this outward show of strained politeness so it can be said that she’s being civil, but she hasn’t mellowed to me one bit.

It’s fair enough, really. I did publicly humiliate her. But I’m finding that I have to grit my teeth when she comes by the apartment when playing the part of the attentive godmother. She arranges it with Sonny to see my daughter, like she doesn’t need my permission to hold my baby, and I don’t doubt how much she adores her goddaughter but it’s starting to feel like Ari is nothing but a prop for her to prove a point of how angry she is with me.  
  
Even Sonny has to scratch his head at that one. He’s torn. He is as much a father to Ari as I am, but there is a part of him that still defers to me when it comes to our little girl. It’s not an insecurity thing, rather, it’s the respect he has for me and it’s something I’ve always quietly appreciated. He plays the role of daddy 100%, but when it comes to something like this, to Abi trying to go over my head, through him; it doesn’t quite gel with him.  
  
If Abi and I were good then it wouldn’t be a thing. Of course she could make arrangements with Sonny, and Sonny wouldn’t think twice. But this is different. We’re not good and both Sonny and Ari are caught in the middle. He doesn’t need to ask me, he doesn’t even need to look my way to know that I am quietly seething, but he’s also – and always has been – the peacemaker. He’s in the awkward position where he still feels apologetic for my actions, but at the same time is unwilling to hear anyone talk smack about me.  
  
So…no. A part of me (like…10%) doesn’t regret the article. My mother has (for now) ceased her attack on Abigail. And while at first I absolutely regretted the backlash that hit my cousin, now I’m not so sure if Zoe’s edits didn’t make it fair and balanced.  
  
Because while my mother, who was the real victim in all of this, is willing to hear me out, Abi? Only feels more justified in her anger towards me as times passes. What with her brother getting in my face, her mother fighting off the press, and Ben making her feel like a pretty, pretty princess, I barely recognise the woman she’s become. There is not yet any forgiveness in her heart for me. Not yet. But I’m still hopeful that might change.  
  
Now, my mother? Like I said, she’s still talking to me. I never really thought she would stop, I told myself it wouldn’t matter if she did, but then two weeks pass without a word from her and I can’t take it any longer. I wind up on her doorstep with Ari on my hip wearing her prettiest summer dress to keep my mother from slamming the door in my face.  
  
There were no raised voices, no apologies, just talk – a need to touch base and test the waters. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that we’re good just yet, but at least now I know that everything will eventually be okay.  
  
Perhaps it’s unfair to compare my mother and Abigail’s individual tolerance of me. After all, Sami is my mother. I can’t imagine that I could ever shut Ari out of my life or stop loving her no matter what she did. All the same, as time goes on and Abi refuses to back down or even contemplate forgiveness just yet, I find myself feeling less and less apologetic.  
  
This is why I’m able to contemplate working with Zoe again. Naturally, Sonny thinks I’m crazy.  He’s insistent that I should take my time to find something else and that he’s got the bills covered. He doesn’t truly get that I need this. I need to make my way and contribute to our little family. I need to respect and feel proud of myself. I got a glimpse of that before things went to hell, I saw Sonny look at me with such pride, I saw Adrienne look at me differently and not like the guy who is living off of her son. I felt good about myself, and I want to feel that again, though hopefully without any family disputes this time around.  
  
Sonny I can give a pass to. He’s my sweetheart and he’s looking out for me. Anyone else? They don’t matter. I’m sorry that people got hurt my first time out of the gate, I’ve learned form that, but I’m not going to let my career, and my ability take of my family be jeopardised just because of a few hurt feelings. It’s time to start moving on.  
  
I don’t know what’s coming next, but if I can soften Sonny up, make him understand that I’m not trying to be selfish or hurt anyone and that my only priorities are him and Ari, then I think I can win back his support. I feel downright weak without it. This is so important to me and not one person understands how much writing means to me. Not even Sonny, who…who is struggling through the front door with his arms full of grocery bags…  
  
“Hey,” I say, hitting save and closing the laptop. “You need a hand?”  
  
“Yeah, if you wouldn’t mi—oh crap, _get it get it_!”  He says, contorting his body to try and save the groceries from spilling out of one of the many paper bags in his arms.  
  
Like the gentleman I am I quickly dash and catch the cartons of milk before they can hit the ground, and then help lighten the load. “You know, our parking spot isn’t that far away, you could have made more than one trip.”  
  
“You underestimate how lazy I am.”  
  
“Lazy would have been you calling me on your cell from the car to come help.”  
  
“I did that _one_ time.”  
  
I shake my head at him. He’s cute. “I thought we weren’t going to use these bags anymore?”  
  
“Yeah, well…”  
  
I wait for him to continue and watch as he walks to the kitchen, setting the groceries on the counter. I snort with amusement when I realise he’s done talking. “You forgot the new grocery bags, didn’t you?”  
  
“It would appear so.”  
  
“The new environmentally friendly grocery bags which you insisted on buying because, and I quote, _we need to be more conscious of our carbon footprint, Will. We need to set an example to our little princess who watches everything we_ —“  
  
“Will?” He takes the grocery bags out of my arms.  
  
“Yes, my love?”  
  
He reaches into the grocery bag, pulls out a celery stick and bops me on the head with it. “Shut up.”  
  
I react the only way I can and take a bite out of the celery stick pointed directly at my face. He watches me chew.  
  
“Is it weird that I find that kind of sexy?”  
  
“Completely.”  
  
He shrugs and turns back towards the counter, emptying the rest of the bags. “How’s your day been so far? Our girl asleep?”  
  
“Yes, and it’s been okay. Did a little writing…” I bite my lip. “Re-read the contract…”  
  
The set of his shoulders freeze up for a second before he carries on with what he’s doing.  
  
“Sonny?”  
  
“Hmm?” He says quietly.  
  
“Zoe’s been chasing me, she needs an answer…”  
  
“Like I said, Will, there’s no point in talking about it if you’ve already made up your mind.”  
  
“There’s a couple of things wrong with that statement. One? I haven’t made my mind up yet, though you know what it is I want to do which is why I want to talk to you about it. I care very much what you think about this.”  
  
“Not enough to turn down her offer.” He says, turning around and leaning back against the counter, crossing his arms.  
  
“Have I said yes yet?”  
  
“No.”  
  
“Then obviously that isn’t true.”  
  
“Things are only just starting to settle down, Will. Do you really want to dredge up all of those bad feelings by—“  
  
“I already told you,” I say, shaking my head. “All edits would be run by me first. She would have final say on what would ultimately be published, but I would have control over what gets printed with my name underneath it.”  
  
“And you believe her?”  
  
“It’s a contract, Son.”  
  
 “Contracts have loopholes.”  
  
I rub the side of my face. “I guess I could stand to have a lawyer look over it, though EJ and I aren’t really on speaking terms…” I trail off, head tilted to the side.  
  
He knows what it is I’m asking. I’d really appreciate it if Justin would have a glance over the contract to make sure that it’s for real and that I’m not signing away my livelihood. However, I wouldn’t be comfortable going to Justin over Sonny’s head when we have such conflicted feelings over this anymore than he would want to go over my head where Abi and Ari are concerned.  
  
He says nothing, though, and turns instead to open the fridge and clear the countertop. His silence is disappointing, but I understand.  
  
“And two,” I say gently, coming to stand behind him, resting my hands on his hips and my cheek against his shoulder. “I need this, Son.”

“Need it or just want it?” He says quietly, closing the fridge door but not turning around.

“Need it. I need to accomplish something ―on my _own_ ― without being made to feel ashamed for it. I need to see you looking proud, to hear you brag about me again…”  
  
He turns and I lift my cheek from his shoulder.

“Hey,” he says firmly yet somehow softly at the same time. “You don’t have to be some hotshot journalist for that to happen. I’m always proud of you.”  
  
I lift one eyebrow, giving him a knowing look. “Really? ‘ _I didn’t think you’d sell your soul_ ’…” I say, repeating his words from a previous fight.  
  
He instantly looks away, dropping his gaze for a moment. “Okay, not my proudest moment, but I apologised for that.”  
  
“And I accepted, but it doesn’t change the fact that I have every right to pursue a career that I could be damn good at if given half the chance…”  
  
“No one’s saying you shouldn’t.”  
  
“That’s exactly what you’re saying, and it’s what everyone else is going to say which is why I so need your support.”  
  
“They…” he trails off with a frustrated sigh. “They won’t be wrong, Will. Taking this job doesn’t exactly show how repentant you are for what happened.”  
  
“I apologised for that,” I say, repeating his words. “And Abi can accept my apology or she won’t, that’s up to her, but this isn’t about her or my mom or anyone else. This is about my career – or what I’m trying to turn into a career. I don’t have time for grudges—“  
  
“Abi is your family, don’t you want to fix this?”  
  
“I’ve made every effort and frankly I think I’m done apologising for now, and don’t say that you don’t agree with me.”  
  
He sighs again, rubbing his chin. “She’s being stubborn, yes. But I’m sorry, Will. You’re just going to have to wait this one out. She’s not in the wrong to be angry with you.”

“I understand that, but I’m not putting my life on hold because of Abi’s hurt feelings.”

“You say that like you’re not even sorry anymore.”

“Kind of fitting seeing as that’s exactly how she’s acting. She doesn’t give a damn about how my mother feels.”

“Your mother got her fired from her job.”

“A very real consequence of sleeping with a board member at your place of work.”

“You used your mom getting her fired as a reason to justify the article in the first place, Will. You can’t backtrack now.”

“You’re right, I did. And you know what? I can’t for the life of me figure out why I was so outraged.”

“Are you kidding me? _Will_ , she humiliated Abi.”

“Abi had sex with her partner―the guy she’s loved for so long, that’s not only humiliating, it’s devastating. If someone close to me slept with you behind my back I’d murder them.”

“Oh come _on_ , that would never―”

“―Would never happen.” I finish, nodding my head. “I know, but just entertain the idea for a moment, that’s all I’m saying. Just imagine…”

“Sami already had this conversation with _my_ mother, remember?”

“She tried to make a point.”

“Is that what you’re doing now?”

I stare at him for a moment, not appreciating the comparison he’s trying to make one bit. He can see it, too. He knows the second he’s pushed too far.

“Forget it,” I say tersely. “I thought we could talk about this but obviously not.” I turn to walk away but he grabs my wrist.

“ _Will_ , Will I’m sorry. Come on.” He pulls me closer, back to where I was and he apologises again. “I didn’t mean to insinuate that you and Sami are…I wasn’t trying to shut down the conversation, you can talk to me. You can always talk to me.”

“That’s what I thought, too. Seeing as you’re my husband and all. But you’re so unwilling to hear a bad word said against Abi…”

“There was a time when I could say the same about you.”

“I’m seeing her in a different light.”

“I’m not.”

“That’s because she’s not treating you like crap.”

He sighs and shakes his head. “Just take your lumps, Will. You gotta take your lumps.”

“Why does that not apply to her?”

“She lost her job and was publicly hum―”

“This again? _Really_? Say something new.”

“Something new? Alright, how’s this? I get why you’re angry. You went to bat for her, risking your relationship with your own mother only for it to all blow up in your face. Now she’s not willing to see what it is you were _trying_ to do, and her lack of forgiveness is striking you as a little hypocritical, seeing as she and EJ are the ones responsible for this miserable current state of affairs.”

I blink at him. “Well…Yeah, that’s it.”

“What you need to understand is that all of that? Does not change my relationship with her.”

“I understand that you’ve been put in an awkward position.”

“…But?”

I let out a heavy sigh. “I’m your husband, Sonny, doesn’t that count for something?”

“Absolutely. If I’m ever forced to choose between you and someone else, it’s you. Every time, it’s you. And I flat out refuse to listen to anyone talk badly about you.”

“Then they’re being very careful around you.”

“They?”

“Abi and Ben, Salem’s most sanctimonious couple.”

He frowns. “What has Ben said to you?”

I roll my eyes and wave him off; I’m not going to make things awkward at work for him. “Nothing, forget it.”

“If he’s said something I want to know. I may side with Abi but that doesn’t make me a gullible idiot that’s going to stand by while my husband is insulted.”’

“Side with Abi?” I repeat quietly.

“When it comes to her and your mother, yes. Not between you two.”

“Why is that such an easy decision to make? To side with her over my mother?”

“You did.”

“I know, I was asking myself that question, too.”

He sighs. “I’ve known her for so long.”

“So have I.”

“She’s the relative that stayed in contact with me when I went away on my travels; she’s the one who was happiest to see me, mom and dad aside, when I returned.”

“That’s still not―”

“She introduced me to you, okay? She introduced me to the love of my life.”

I soften. “Sonny,” I say gently. “Salem’s not that big, you would have met me sooner or later.”

“I know that. It doesn’t change the fact that it was still her who introduced you to me. It was a fairly significant moment in my life, alright?”

“I know, mine too. And I know that this whole thing makes you sad. You hate what she did, you hate what my mom did, and you hate what I did.”

He nods his head.

“So perhaps it’s just easier to forgive someone who may not necessarily deserve it, at least not at that moment, than it is to pile on top even more sadness and guilt and anger. Kind of like how my mother and EJ just sweep everything under the rug…”

“You’re saying I need to get angry at her?”

“No. I’m just saying that it’s not good for anyone to let this kind of thing go unchecked; it doesn’t make us good friends to her, quite the opposite, in fact. We all just…we just _dismissed_ what she did.”

“I don’t want to talk about it. As her friends it’s not for us to judge her, and it doesn’t change who she is to us.”

“We should have talked about it, it is our business because we’re all family, and you’re right, it shouldn’t change who she is to us. But it’s starting to, at least for me…”

He bites his lip. “I don’t like that” he admits quietly. “I don’t like that this angry part of you feels unfamiliar to me.”

“It is a part of me, and you have to accept that.” I say in an echo of the conversation I had with my mother not so long ago. “I’m sorry it unnerves you, but it doesn’t change us. That is something you never have to worry about.”

“I don’t like that we feel differently about this.”

I sigh. “Then try and understand the other side of this. Try and understand where my mother is coming from.”

“I’m never going to be on board with what she did, Will. I won’t―”

I take his hand, holding it in both of mine. “Just try, okay? Put yourself in her shoes for just a second. Imagine if Mateo―someone you trusted―went after me, actively pursued me while we were going through some sort of a rough patch. What if I caved and it happened not once, not twice, but three times and I never came clean? What if you had to find out by receiving an envelope with proof inside that was slid under our front door? Just imagine it and tell me how you would feel.”

He pulls his hand away and drags his palm across his forehead. “I can’t, it would just never…I can’t.”

“Try.”

He’s quiet for a few moments, giving it some thought, and it’s not long before his expression darkens and becomes deeply unhappy. “It’s…truly horrifying. I wouldn’t…I’d never want to go outside, I’d never want see or speak to anyone ever again.”

“Then imagine the entire town rallying behind Mateo and attacking you for lashing out at him.”

He closes his eyes and holds his hand palm outwards, silently asking me to stop. “Alright, I get it, I do. But…” he looks at me, sighing, like he’s not sure how to say what he wants to say. “You can understand how it all sounds, right?”

“What?”

“You were one of those people who rallied behind her. You used your mom attacking her as reason enough to take the assignment, to take the money. Now you’ve been offered another job, more money, and it’s going to look like you’re using what Abi did to Sami as a reason to justify this next assignment. Not to mention that it’ll screw up whatever headway you’re making with Abi.”

“What headway?”

“Come on, she’s thawing a little.”

I sputter. “No, she’s not. She comes around here, blanking me in my own home, and helps herself to my daughter like she doesn’t need my permission to hold her.”

“She’s never needed it before.”

“She’s never used Ari as a way to piss me off before. I don’t care how angry she is, Sonny. Daddy trumps godmother every time.”

“She has a good reason to be mad, Will.”

“Her name in that article was unintentional.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What she did with EJ was _very_ intentional. What I did doesn’t hold a candle to the pain she’s caused―”

“Alright!” he says, holding his hands out. “Alright, I don’t want to fight with you.”

“But this is what you think of me. You think I’m fickle, spineless, you think I’d screw over my family for money…”

“ _No_.” He says firmly, stepping forward and holding my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “That, Will Horton, is what you think of yourself. That is you feeling guilty, which is why I don’t want you diving head first into another article about god knows what...”

I pull away from his gentle hold. “Couldn’t this just be about me for a change? About my life and my job? Why does it have to be about them?”

“Because you put yourself squarely in the middle of their confrontation and made it national news, baby.” He says gently.

“I am done putting other people first. Don’t you think it’s ridiculous for me to pass up on such a huge opportunity just because Abi is still enjoying her world tour of _woe is me, I broke up a couple, a couple with kids, and now everyone is being mean to me_?”

“Will,” he bites out. “She’s been through hell, you know that.”

“She put herself there.”

“You helped.”

“Yeah, well now I want to help myself.”

“And that’s exactly how it’s going to look, screwing over your mom to help  Abi, and now taking the next big assignment under the guise of providing for your family.”

“You keep saying that.”

“What?”

“ _How it will look._ Like you’re embarrassed, like any shame assigned to me automatically transfers to you.”

“Don’t start lashing out at me, Will. You wanted to talk about it so we’re talking about it. I’m being honest with you because I respect you too much to coddle you.”

“And what guise?” I say. “I’m _supposed_ to provide for my family.”

“We’re not exactly struggling, Will!”

“Why won’t you try and understand―”

“I do, I do under―”

“No! No you don’t. Yes, I want to do this for me, I admit that, but I also want to do it for you and for Ari. It would be a steady. Pay check. Sonny. Get it? That’s what I would be able to contribute.”  
  
“I guess it’s pointless saying that you don’t have to worry about money? That I’m happy to…” He trails off when he sees the look on my face. “Okay, that would be pointless.”  
  
“I want to do the thing I love, but I want to respect myself while I do it.”  
  
“People do respect you, Will.”

“I wasn’t talking about other people.”

“Yes you were, and there’s nothing wrong with that. You’re human and you’re also a sweet guy who likes to please people.”

“You make me sound so wish-washy.”

“I happen to love how sweet you are.”  
  
“This isn’t about my ego, Son, it’s about everyday life. It’s about feeling normal and like a man who can provide for his family just the same as everyone else. It’s about being your partner in every way possible.”  
  
“I wish this wasn’t so important to you…”  
  
“What?” I ask, bristling. “My sense of self-worth?”  
  
“No. This need to measure up to other people, the whole…” he gestures uselessly. “This idea you have in your head that you have to accomplish a certain amount of things by a certain point in your life. I mean, do you get that other guys our age…Will,” he laughs softly, though not unkindly. “Other guys our age are just finding their feet jobwise, their only priority is having enough cash to blow at the weekends. They’re not thinking about diapers and college funds like we are.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m trying to give you a little perspective. You’re married and have a kid at _twenty one_. Most guys won’t even start thinking about that stuff for another ten years.” He smiles at me gently when I stare at him blankly. “You can take your time with this, with your career. There’s no rush and you don’t have to accept the first big thing that comes your way.”

“What if I don’t get another shot? What if I’m not as good as you think I am? I’ll have to wait tables for a living. You own your own business and I’ll be a waiter, that’s embarrassing for both of us.”

A small part of me feels relieved to have finally said it out loud, another part of me hates that he sees this flaw of mine.

“That’s also not going to happen; you are far too talented a writer to be doing anything else.”

When I don’t say anything he steps closer, his hand rubbing along the length of my arm as he tries to catch my gaze.

“Maybe I should put that on my resume?” I say quietly. “ _My husband thinks I’m super talented_.”

He bites his lip, trying not to smile. “If worse comes to worse my Uncle Vic can always…” he trails off when I glare at him. “We’re not laughing about that yet?”

“No, jerk.” But I’m smiling a little bit despite myself.

He gives me a small smile and presses the back of his hand to my stomach in a playful, affectionate shove. “Look, you know that I love you no matter what, that I will support you no matter what…”

“I know. I just don’t want you to have to support me financially.”

“What, am I supposed to let you starve while Ari and I eat like kings?” He chuckles.

“Don’t make jokes.”

“No?”

“No. Just…back _me_ up, okay? Be a part of this.”

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, pulling me into a hug. “I’ll try.”

“Even if you don’t agree with me?”

“I’m just not there yet on this one, Will. I have a bad feeling about it.”

I nod my head, averting my gaze. “Okay.”

He tilts my chin back up. “What are you going to do?”

“You mean about Zoe?”

He nods his head and I shrug.

“Put her off while I think about it over the weekend, I guess.”

He nods back. “Okay,” he says softly.

“Son?” I say quietly.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for being honest with me. Even if I don’t like what you say it makes me feel like I can trust you about anything.”

He visibly melts in front of me, his hand brushing my jaw as he nuzzles close. “I love you so much,” he murmurs. “So much I’ll even put myself in the doghouse.”

“I know.”

“I wish you’d follow my lead and love yourself a little more.”

“I know.”

“How about a cease fire for now, and just helping with the groceries?”

“I guess I can do that without causing too much of a controversy.”

He reaches back behind him and then bops me on the head again with the same goddamn celery stick. “Get unpacking.”

oOo

 

The only way this could get any more awkward was if we were all naked.

I have to give him points for trying, though. I really do. She’s in his house, playing with his daughter, but she won’t talk to or look directly at him. It’s rude but I can understand why it’s got to this point, and I’m quietly proud of him for taking the higher ground in the hopes of running out the clock with her.

“Didn’t you say something about PR work?” Will asks absently, obviously forgetting for the moment that he’s in a timeout with her as he squints down at the paper he’s reading. I love that he still reads the paper rather than reading the news online. And I swear he needs glasses.

“I’m pretty much looking at anything since I got fired.” She says, her voice clipped from where she sits beside me on the couch with Ari in her lap.

“There’s an assistant position here for a PR firm, I know you’re probably over qualified for a starting position but it says there’s room for growth. Here, come look―”

“Thank you.” She says, finally looking at him just as he was rising out of his chair at the kitchen table. “But I don’t think you’re in a position to be handing out career advice, do you?”

He stares at her for a moment, glances at me for second, and then finally sitting back down without a word, giving the paper his attention once more.

“Come on, Abi.” I say quietly.

She hunches her shoulder for a second, as if physically shaking off the few exchanged words with Will before carrying on like nothing has happened, her voice overly bright.

“So, have you guys thought any more about that Honeymoon?” She asks me.

“No, not right now.” I reply, feeling saddened and resigned by her change of subject.

“Don’t you want to do anything a little more extravagant than hanging out in a hotel for a weekend?”

“We had a wonderful time.” Will says, glancing only at me and with a secretive little smile that I return.

“What about rock-climbing or white-water rafting? That kind of thing?”

“Oh no,” I laugh. “Come on, you know that’s not Will’s thing.”

“But it’s yours.”

“If I want to go rock-climbing I can do that with a couple of buddies. Honeymoons are supposed to be romantic, and there’s nothing romantic about spending half an hour coaxing Will down off of a ten foot training wall.” I give him a playful wink when he narrows his eyes at me.

“I guess so. Well, you know if you do ever decide to take a short break that I’d be more than happy to take care of this little one.” She says, resting her cheek against the top of Ari’s head.

“The timing’s not great right now.” Will says absently, standing to flick the switch on the coffee machine. “Son?” He asks me.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Will clears his throat uncomfortably. “Abi? Coffee?”

“No, thank you.”

“Ari? Coffee?” He says breezily, like the goof he is. The three of us actually laugh when she looks over at Will and babbles baby talk at him.

“I think she just asked for an expresso,” Abi laughs.

“Don’t, with a former barista for a daddy her first sentence will probably be to ask for a half-fat mocha latte.” Will jokes.

“And I would be so proud.” I say, tickling underneath her chin.

Abi shakes her head, smiling sadly to herself. “You two.”

“What?”

She shrugs slightly. “It’s just…it’s good. Whatever else is going on,” she says with meaning, not quite glancing at Will. “It’s good to know that this little girl has two adoring daddies to take care of her.”

There’s a glimmer of hope in Will’s expression, but not wanting to push it he doesn’t say anything and instead turns to pour the coffee.

“Thank you.” I say instead. “And thank you, handsome man.” I say taking the coffee mug offered to me.

“You’re welcome, even more handsome man.”

“So why’s the timing off?”

“It’s a work thing,” Will says, sitting back down at the kitchen table and blowing on his coffee before taking a sip.

“What’s going on with the club? Everything okay?”

“The club’s fine,” I say.

“I have work.” Will says without thinking.

“Is that right?” Abi says, pressing her lips together in a tight line.

Will’s shoulders sag, having realised what it is he’s just said. “A new opportunity arose. At a different magazine.”

“Impressed with your previous work, no doubt.”

He sighs. “I…I have a family to support.”

She frowns, glancing at me and then back at Will.  I cringe because we all know what that look means. _Your husband makes enough for both of you._

“And you have no other way of making money?”

His mouth works, trying to speak, and I can tell that he’s frustrated. “I’m a writer, Abi.” He settles on. “I want to be a writer.”

“And you’re just willing to drag anyone through the mud to do that, right?”

He looks at me, hurt, and then back at her. “You said yourself that you’re not going to let your one mistake ruin the rest of your life. Well, I’m doing the same.”

“You know, from what little you let me read before I actually thought you were a good writer. I was proud of you, cousin. But if your last piece is anything to go by then you should feel right at home working for a trashy magazine.”

He says nothing, he just takes her abuse silently and I slowly begin to feel my hackles rise. “Will is an excellent writer, Abi.”

“So what’s the next piece about, hmm?” She asks, ignoring me. “More affairs to expose?”

“Abi, _come on_.” I say in annoyance. Glancing over at Will who is clenching his jaw and folding up the paper in the front of him.

“No, I want to know. Who’s your target this time?”

“You weren’t a target, how many times do I have to say it?” Will says patiently.

“Alright, let me rephrase it, who’s your victim this time?”

Will stands, pushing his chair away from the table and walks around to the couch. “Do you have any idea how obnoxious it is to hear you refer to yourself as a victim?”

“I had reporters banging on my front door, I still have people leaving vile messages on my Facebook page―what are you doing?” She says indignantly when Will plucks Ari out of her lap.

“I don’t want you around my daughter.”

“ _What_?” she gasps.

“Will!” I quickly stand, moving between them. “Will, come on. I know you’re mad but this is one of those situations where you don’t want to say something you don’t mean.”

“I’m her _godmother_.”

“And I’m her _father_.” He says through gritted teeth. “This is our house, this is our daughter, and you don’t get to talk to me like that around her.”

“She needs me.”

“We were both at home, Abi. We didn’t need a babysitter; you came here to make a point. You came here so that you can tell me yet again what a jerk I am without actually saying the words.”

“I have no problem with telling you exactly what I think of you.”

I push the heels of my hands into my eyes, rubbing them. “Both of you, please… Just stop it.”

“Of course you’re siding with him.”

“He’s not the person you’re painting him to be, Abi, and you know it.”

“I don’t know _who_ he is anymore.”

“I’m the same person who has always been there for you when you needed someone.” Will says to her.

“That doesn’t excuse what you did.”

Will shakes his head miserably. “I’m going to put Ari down for her nap.” He starts to walk towards the bedroom, taking Ari out of the room, but Abi’s next words make him pause.

“You’re just like your mother.”

The room goes silent and Will turns to stare at her for a few seconds before walking over to me, encouraging me to take Ari.

“Will…” I say carefully. “Don’t make it worse.”

“What did you just say to me?”

“You’re a coward,” Abi says, emotion clear in her voice. “You couldn’t even give me a heads up, you just exposed me in front of the world, you made me a joke―”

“You did that to yourself.”

“And what’s worse is that you made money from it. You’re a coward, Will. And my god but you’re selfish, just like your mother.”

“Just like my mother?”

She lifts her chin. “Just like your mother.”

He lowers his voice. “Does that mean you’re screwing my husband too?”

Her eyes widen, along with mine, and then the sound of her hand connecting with Will’s cheek echoes through the apartment.

“Abi!” I yell, and Ari squirms in my arms, whimpering and on the verge of tears.

Will holds his up his hand, silently telling me to stay out of it without even looking at me. “You can’t even bear to hear it, can you?”

“You don’t need to tell me―”

“No. I mean the nitty-gritty. Not what I wrote in the article which was, I’m starting to think, kinder than you deserved. I mean the bare bones of the matter, the fact that this isn’t the first time you’ve gone after someone who was already in a relationship, the fact that you hunted him down again for a repeat performance. You weren’t sorry then, and you’re only sorry now because you’ve been found out. But that’s not the worst of it, Johnny and Sydney…”

“Don’t, Will.” I tell him, but he’s not listening.

“Johnny’s seven. Sydney’s five. Abi...you had sex with their _dad_. They love you and you screwed their father, not even caring how much it meant to them that their mom and dad were together again.”

She raises her hand to slap him again but he catches her by the wrist and forces her hand down to her side before letting go. “And you think it’s okay to walk around physically assaulting people? You think I want that kind of person around my daughter? I’ve put up with the cold shoulder because of the article, because I inadvertently made everything worse…”

“That’s an understatement.”

“But I _swear_ , I was trying to protect you.”

 “You call writing that garbage _protecting_ me?”

“That was my intention. It went horribly wrong and I am so, so sorry. Truly I am. But there are only so many times I can apologise. You’re family and I love you but you’re not going to insult me in my own home, in front of my daughter. You can accept the apology or we’ll go our separate ways, but that little girl belongs to me, me and that man over there. So if you want to continue to be her godmother then you need to at least learn how to civil.”

“Is that an ultimatum? Forgive you or I don’t get to see my goddaughter anymore?”

“No, it’s not. It means that you can accept my apology and we’ll all move on, or you can hold onto your grudge. Either way you are going to watch your goddamn mouth when you speak to me.” He walks over to me, reaching for Ari. I hand her over because all I want right now is to get Abi and Will into in separate rooms as soon as possible.

“Ball’s in your court,” he says, and walks into the bedroom.

“Unbelievable.” She says, staring at the door that closes behind him. “He is unbelievable.”

We’re both a little shell-shocked. “You took it too far, Abi.”

She looks at me disbelievingly. “Are you kidding me? Not you too, Sonny, come on.”

“Every one of us has had your back because we care about you, but you’re taking advantage of that.”

“That article―”

“He’s explained himself more than enough times; he’s not going to do it again. And you are never going to speak to him that way again either.”

Her eyes fill with tears and she swallows hard. “People call me a whore, Sonny. People I don’t even know, people who never would have known what happened if it wasn’t for Will.”

“And he feels terrible about that, he hates himself for it.”

“You don’t get it. When they say that, when they call me those horrible things, they make me feel it. It makes me feel like a slut. A home wrecker. And that’s not what I am. I’m not…”

“I know, Abi.” I say, pulling her into a hug. “We know that. But you’re just going to have to front this out. It happened, now these are the consequences.”

She pushes out of my arms, surprising me. “These are not the consequences. All of this? This is Will’s doing. Before he wrote that article it practically over with, I was moving on.”

“You were moving on, but not many other people were.”

“Of course you’re siding with your husband.”

“Stop thinking of this as taking sides, Abi. This isn’t a school playground. You did something terrible, something that caused someone else a great deal of pain, and now this is the aftermath, these are the ripples.”

She storms past me and yanks her coat from the closet.

“Abi, don’t go, come on. Just talk to me, talk to both me and Will. Let’s just…let’s just sit down and rationally―”

“I do not want to speak with that…with…”

“ _Don’t_.” I warn, growing angry with her. “I’m done hearing you insult him; I’m done seeing you treat him like garbage.”

“I don’t think you understand the hell my family has had to go through because of that article.”

“I don’t think you understand the hell that everyone _else_ has gone through.”

She lets out a humourless laugh, pulling on her coat. “I thought you might be able to keep a fair stance on this, but obviously not.”

“If I wasn’t able to do that then I would have thrown you out of here, out of my club a long time ago and you know it. You’ve no idea the conversations I’d have with Will about this. You’ve no idea how you’re behaviour to him has affected him. He feels terrible, he’s lost sleep over it, and despite how you speak to him I keep telling him to give you time!”

She picks up her handbag. “We’re not going to see eye to eye over this anytime soon, but I hope at least I can still speak to you about Ari?”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “You are making this so much worse than it needs to be by including his daughter.”

“Excuse me?”

“This is his home and his daughter; you don’t get to inform him when you want to see her.”

“That’s why I’m speaking to you about it.”

“You are not putting me or Ari in the middle of this. Deal with your anger towards Will and then speak to _him_ about Ari. I assure you that if the two of you can work this out, he would be more than happy to for you to spend time with her, but despite what you think…” I sigh. “Abi, she doesn’t need you. I’m sorry, but she doesn’t.”

“I have a bond with that little girl.”

“So do a lot of people, but you are not her parent and you are overstepping so far that you’re even beginning to piss _me_ off.”

“Gabi wants me here.”

“And believe it or not, so do Will and I. But you have zero authority here and you are not going to use me as a stepping stone.”

She buttons up her coat, her movements angry and jagged. “I’ll see what Gabi has to say about that.”

I narrow my eyes at her. “I don’t think you’re listening. You do not have a place in this little girl’s life unless her parents―that’s the two who are currently taking care of her―give you permission.”

She quickly wipes away a tear, holding out her arms and letting them flop to her sides again. “So that’s it? I lose my job, everyone’s respect, your friendship, my goddaughter…”

“Oh my god, seriously? Seriously Abi? I’m giving you the in. Just talk to Will, begin to try and hear what it is he has to say and everything will be fine. You may have lost your job but that’s it. If you lose mine and Will’s friendship and your relationship with Ari, then that will be all down to you, because I’ve already told you how to fix it.”

 “You’ve changed, Sonny.”

I put my hands on my hips, drop my gaze and shake my head. _Jesus_. “You know what?” I walk past her and open the front door for her. “You can think what you want, but until you’ve learned a little humility, don’t come back here.”

“So this is it? I’m to go away and think about things? _I_ have to apologise to _him_?”

“No. You just need to try and find a way to be forgiving because there is nothing he can do to change what happened. But if you want to apologise to someone? Save it for all the other people affected by what you and EJ put into action.”

 “I’m never going to be allowed to forget any of this, am I?”

“You’ve no idea how much everyone would like to. Even Sami is trying to move on.” I lean my hand on the doorknob. “I think that…for most people? The anger has faded. No one’s angry anymore, we’re all just…sad.”

She looks utterly miserable with herself, with me, with the whole damn situation. “Even you?”

“Even me.”

“I wish I’d never gone to that cabin. I wish…I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

“Nothing, Abi. You’re human and you made a human mistake. You just hurt a lot of people in the process, much like Will did. What’s making it so much worse is how you’re dealing with it.”

“I don’t want it to be this way.” She frowns, shaking her head. “I don’t even want to feel this way towards Will, it just all keeps getting worse and it keeps coming back to that article.”

“I think any problems you’re experiencing now predate that article, Abi.”

She lets out a heavy sigh, running her hand through her hair. Finally she reaches out and rests her hand on my forearm. “You’re always the voice of reason, aren’t you?”

“Yes. It’s very annoying.”

She looks past me, towards the closed door where Will is with Ari. “It’s going to take time.”

“We all have time.”

She nods. “I’m sorry,” she says quietly. “For the ripples.”

I lean down and kiss her cheek. “It’ll get better. You can help make it better.”

She nods, and then leaves. I watch her go until she turns the corner and then I close the door with a heavy sigh. “Will?” I call, and when he doesn’t answer I walk through to the bedroom.

He’s sitting in the rocking chair, Ari curled up in the crook of his arm, dead asleep. I lean against the doorframe and watch them. Despite the confrontation of a few minutes ago, it’s a heartbreakingly beautiful picture. _Peaceful_. The sight of our daughter curled up asleep in Will’s arms is matched only by the adoring look in his eyes as he gazes down at her.

“Is she gone?” He asks quietly.

“Yes, it might be a while before she’s back.”

He nods. “Not too long, I hope.” He’s quiet for a moment. “Did I go too far?”

I sigh, pushing away from the doorframe, walking towards Will so that I can lean down and kiss him softly on the lips. “I’m going to text my dad; ask him to check out that contract before you sign it.”

He looks at me in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah, you’re taking that job. It’s time to move on.” I stand straight to walk away; pulling my phone out of my pocket, but Will catches my wrist.

“Thank you, husband.”

I nod. “Love you, husband.”

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
